Swimming in the Ocean – in October!

That was what I first thought when we went to the beach on October 10^th, here I was lying on a beach sun bathing and then I was going in swimming in the ocean and it was October! I was also in Spain! You never have a bored thought as long as you just stop to realize where you are and what you are doing, and how it’s not the same thing that you would be doing everyday back at home.

I was talking to a friend who hopes to later join me here in Europe in the new year. I was telling her how much I was loving Barcelona and how I couldn’t believe I was on the beach and how I would be going back the next day. She said, “Well of course it’s amazing! Doing anything simple in another country is wonderful! Like brushing your teeth becomes something entirely new. Instead of just brushing your teeth, you’re brushing your teeth in London.”  We then spent the next couple of minutes going back and forth listing everyday tasks and adding a different country to them. They did become far more exciting or maybe we’re just easily entertained.

I do love Barcelona, maybe because I have been so completely in this place. Not wondering about where next or where past but giving my mind over the entire time to being here.  Just that, I am in Barcelona.  I knew I wanted to come to Barcelona after I read the Angels Game, a book of fiction that I absolutely loved for the characters and the setting since truly the setting, Barcelona itself becomes one of the characters in the novel. It all became part of the same story. People would also say to us on our travels. “If you go to Spain you must go to Barcelona.” The recommendations did not disappoint.

It is wonderful being in a city where it was ok to start your day a little bit later, since people, stores and restaurant would be open later too. I think a city needs a night life, people have more energy in the day if it does. If everything closes at 6 except for the few bars and restaurants that remain open people think, well I might as well go home. The opposite feeling is here, since places don’t open till late, and en people want to wait so as not to be the first to arrive at a venue, the clock keeps ticking and the day keeps going.

We extended our time in Barcelona by a couple of days (due to a faulty shower and a kind offer of invitation to make up for it) and we were very happy that we did. We were able to do more, but still feel like there was even more to do. We are leaving today, not leaving Spain, but leaving this city for another place, the island of Ibiza. Already I know how much I want to come back  to see and do more. I feel I could easily spend so much more time in this city if not more and never be tired of it. I want to re-read Angels Game and not leave this city. I want to come back even as I am sitting in their airport, and I want to spend longer.

I mean swimming in the ocean in October, I would be crazy not wanting to come back.